21/09/2025
PRESS STATEMENT
(FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE)
Lusaka - 20th September 2025
ZAMBIA UNDER-21 NATIONAL NETBALL TEAM ON THE VERGE OF DISQUALIFICATION FROM WORLD CUP
Netball Zambia wishes to inform the nation with a heavy heart that the Under-21 National Netball Team is at risk of being disqualified from the ongoing Netball World Youth Cup 2025 in Gibraltar due to unresolved visa challenges.
Despite months of preparation and repeated efforts to secure the necessary travel documents, the team has not yet been able to travel to the tournament, which officially began today, Saturday 20th September 2025.
World Netball has now issued an ultimatum that Zambia must provide proof of issued visas and confirmed flight tickets by 12:00hrs Gibraltar time tomorrow, Sunday 21st September 2025, or face elimination under competition regulation 13.1.2.4.
Netball Zambia President, Martha Sichone, breaking the news from World Netball’s official communication, said:
“It is with deep concern that we share the update from World Netball.
While they acknowledge the challenges we have faced, they have set a firm deadline of midday tomorrow for us to provide written confirmation of flight tickets and issued visas.
Failure to meet this deadline will unfortunately result in our team’s withdrawal from the competition", said Sichone
Sichone further added that all efforts to secure visas are proving futile.
“We have exhausted all avenues, reaching out to different authorities to assist in resolving this urgent matter, but so far without success.
Our young players have worked tirelessly to qualify and prepare for this stage, and it would be devastating for them to miss out due to administrative
challenges", bemoaned Sichone.
Netball Zambia urgently appeals to all stakeholders, both locally and internationally, to step in and help secure the necessary travel documents within the limited time remaining.
Issued by:
Netball Zambia Communications Office
